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what is stretch?
- "stretch" refers to stretching a narrower tire over a wider wheel, the sidewalls stretch from the lip to the tread

why do stretched tires?
- well the whole thing started in germany/belgium, local laws required that the tire tread be within the fender line. well that doesnt allow one to run wider or lower offset wheels, so they put narrower tires on the wheel to maintain legality

- when you would like to run really wide or low offset wheels and keep the tire tread at the fender

- when you would like to go really low and not rub

isnt this unsafe?
- there hasnt been any soild evidence that running a stretched tire is any more dangerous than a regular tire.

where can i get tires stretched?

-any reputable wheel/tire shop should be able to do it. i know when my friend did a 215/45 kumho on a 8.5" wheel, it took one shop 90lbs to pop the bead. getting a 225-45 on a 9, and a 245/40 on a 10.5 took another shop 50 lbs.

can't you afford the right tire size?
- the tire that stretch the most tend to be at the top of the price list, so it isnt an issue

what tires stretch best?
- from what i have seen, the best tires with regards to stretch are:
toyo t1-s
dunlop sp9000
dunlop sp8080e
falken fk451

im sure there are more, but look for a tire with a rounded shoulder and a lip protector, they tend to give the "desirable" look

what size/offset wheels are the best for a staggered look

- its all about personal preference. you can have 19x9 and 19x11 on a G. some may not like the look but thats why people build their cars for themselves

arent you worried about curbing a wheel?

- take a look in the classifieds and count the number of wheels on regular tires compared to those on stretched tires with damage.

Quote, originally posted by ???? »
what if you get a puncture in the tire from a nail and you're going 65mph and the tire loses air rapidly, will it stay beaded (proper term?) as long as a regular sized tire would? do stretched tires need to have above a certain tire pressure to stay beaded?

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one thing about running stretched tires, the driver tends to be a bit more careful because of the cost of the wheels, i definately drive more alert with my volks than i do my stock wheels.

and as far as loss of pressure is concerned, it was tested the other day after tires were put on, and there no visual or performance cues with a 40psi tire compared to a 10psi.

the main reason for a tire popping a bead is sidewall flex, not internal pressure. like i said, it took ~90lbs to mount my friends set, there is no way that driving forces would add to exceed that pressure, let alone the 40lbs it took to do this set

Quote, originally posted by ???? »
From my understanding, stretching tires is just putting smaller tires on a bigger rims, like 215 on a 19"x8.5 or something like that. But to get that tire outside the fender, dont we need spacers or something? or as long you have stretch tires, you will achieve "the look" on the rear wheels?

-you can do one of 2 things: 1- use spacers, 2- pick a wheel or have one made that provides an offset such that when mounted it will have the look you want

*** If you're involved in costly accident or where others are injured, the insurance company will likely deny your claim, the courts may fine you (>$10,000) for reckless endangerment, and the other party may sue you. We live in the US, where there are more lawyers than alley cats, and Americans love to sue each other. Remember the elderly lady who sued McDonalds and won b/c she spilled hot coffee on herself (Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants for $640,000). Now we have warnings b/c people lack common sense or have too low IQ scores to realize that coffee is "HOT"!

*** Tireracks position [Roger@TireRack] is as follows:

Quote:

Our position on "S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g" is one should not! Most if not all of the information presented in this tread so far appears to be fact supported by either documentation, i.e., manufacturer's specifications, real life experience. So I am sure for those that have successfully stretched their tires without issue feel comfortable with their decision, however, as pointed out in some of the post's, the rim width range is a fixed number assigned as an international standard and as such it is recommend by all manufacturers, regulatory bodies and the D.O.T. that it be adhered to.

FYI, as a final note not to be taken lightly, deviating from the published recommendations, specifications, and/or industry standards may have an impact on the validity of your vehicles insurance in the event you are involved in an accident!

What is accepted in many tuning circles is the .5” rule of thumb as a safe margin of stretch for most driving conditions.

My guess is that this will not deter some of our brighter shining stars on the forum as it will be shrugged off with a "meh", as evidenced by 2 highly reverent , threads with thousands of posts paying homage to the s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d look.

i like the stretched look. lol just not crazy. i wouldnt go anything crazier than a 245/35 on a 10" wide rim. the people that are doing it know what can happen given any situation, so let it be their problem......but its not that big of a deal. besides, the people that do stupid stretches dont daily their cars....normally lol. the end.